Procrastination is a nasty habit, but we don’t just put things off because we’re lazy. There are different reasons we procrastinate, and these questions can help you figure it out so you can beat it.
Photo by Sean MacEntee.
Over at productivity blog iDoneThis, writer Blake Thorne suggests procrastination can teach us a lot about the way we work, and how we should change our flow. By asking yourself the following questions, you can get a grasp on why, exactly, you keep putting stuff off:
1. What are the long-term benefits of the task I’m putting off?
2. Can I do without those benefits?
3. Can I achieve the same benefits through some other task?
4. Can I replace those benefits with equally valued benefits that are achieved some other way?
5. Can I delegate or outsource the activity and receive the same benefits?
If you answer yes to any of 2-5, consider eliminating the task from your life and getting the benefits some other way. Otherwise, the exercise may give you the boost you need to buckle down and get back on task.
Of course, sometimes you just need to stop distracting yourself and just do the work. But if you can find the source of your procrastination and beat it once and for all, it’s worth asking a few simple questions. Check out Thorne’s full post for more insight.
How Procrastination Can Be Your Best Productivity Tool [iDoneThis via Business Insider]
Comments